--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A good rule of thumb for many things in…" description: "\"A good rule of thumb for many things in life holds that things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then happen faster than you thought ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74e/lawrence-summers-16940_faster_a-good-rule-of-thumb-for-many-things-in_51546.jpg" --- # A good rule of thumb for many things in life holds that… ![“A good rule of thumb for many things in life holds that things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then happen faster than you thought they could.” quote by Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74e/lawrence-summers-16940_faster_a-good-rule-of-thumb-for-many-things-in_51546.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74e/lawrence-summers-16940_faster_a-good-rule-of-thumb-for-many-things-in_51546.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74e/lawrence-summers-16940_faster_a-good-rule-of-thumb-for-many-things-in_51546.jpg) > “A good rule of thumb for many things in life holds that things take longer to happen than you think they will, and then happen faster than you thought they could.” [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often underestimate the time needed for tasks, then overestimate the speed once they start, leading to a paradox of delayed start but rapid completion. **In simple terms:** Timing misjudgment and acceleration. Key Takeaway Expect delays, then act swiftly. Themes Time perception Planning Momentum Psychology Mood Reflective Motivational Type Advice Observation When to use this quote - Project kickoff - Learning new skill - Product launch - Personal habit formation Key Concepts Cognitive bias Execution dynamics Practical Applications - Set realistic timelines - Leverage early momentum Questions to Reflect On - Why do we often misjudge task duration? - How can we harness the acceleration phase? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Things in life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-in-life/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [My rule of thumb is that I want to do things I'd like to go and see myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sheen/my-rule-of-thumb-is-that-i-want-to-do-things-i-d-like-to-go-and-see/) [Michael Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sheen/) > [My rule of thumb is, what Siskel and Ebert like, I don't, and vice versa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/my-rule-of-thumb-is-what-siskel-and-ebert-like-i-don-t-and-vice-versa/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [You know, I think there's a good rule of thumb here: Don't take nutritional advice from other species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/you-know-i-think-there-s-a-good-rule-of-thumb-here-don-t-take/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [Here's a good rule of thumb; too clever is dumb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/here-s-a-good-rule-of-thumb-too-clever-is-dumb/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [My rule of thumb is build a site for a user, not a spider.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-naylor/my-rule-of-thumb-is-build-a-site-for-a-user-not-a-spider/) David Naylor > [If I were to give one piece of advice, I would say to never accept anything that you hear or see at face value.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/if-i-were-to-give-one-piece-of-advice-i-would-say-to-never-accept/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [Rule of thumb: Eat for what you're going to be doing, and not for what you have done. Don't take in more than you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-haney/rule-of-thumb-eat-for-what-you-re-going-to-be-doing-and-not-for-what/) [Lee Haney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-haney/) > [If you want to be rich the rule of thumb is to teach others how to be rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/if-you-want-to-be-rich-the-rule-of-thumb-is-to-teach-others-how-to-be/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [It's a good rule of thumb, it seems to me: if you're not allowed to see where something comes from, don't put it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/it-s-a-good-rule-of-thumb-it-seems-to-me-if-you-re-not-allowed-to-see/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [Ive always had this rule of thumb: If you have fun making it, then someone will have fun watching it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-starr/ive-always-had-this-rule-of-thumb-if-you-have-fun-making-it-then/) [Antony Starr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-starr/) > [An old Zen rule of thumb is not to answer until one has been asked three times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joko-beck/an-old-zen-rule-of-thumb-is-not-to-answer-until-one-has-been-asked/) [Joko Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joko-beck/) > [And of course we are familiar with the English common law rule of thumb that said a man could in fact use a stick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-ireland/and-of-course-we-are-familiar-with-the-english-common-law-rule-of/) [Patricia Ireland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-ireland/) > [A good rule of thumb is to assume that everything matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-thaler/a-good-rule-of-thumb-is-to-assume-that-everything-matters/) [Richard Thaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-thaler/) > [I used to think about how nice it would be to visit the planets. Of course, I didn't expect to see in my lifetime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clyde-tombaugh/i-used-to-think-about-how-nice-it-would-be-to-visit-the-planets-of/) [Clyde Tombaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clyde-tombaugh/) > [There must be a way to get more of these in me faster, thought the inventor of pea soup as he sat eating peas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-gould/there-must-be-a-way-to-get-more-of-these-in-me-faster-thought-the/) [Dana Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-gould/) ## More by Lawrence Summers > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [I promise you that there are a lot of people involved in various kinds of retail activities who think they have a crucial role…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/i-promise-you-that-there-are-a-lot-of-people-involved-in-various/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [In the history of the world, no one has ever washed a rented car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/in-the-history-of-the-world-no-one-has-ever-washed-a-rented-car/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [I think the economic logic behind dumping a load of toxic waste in the lowest wage country is impeccable and we should face up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/i-think-the-economic-logic-behind-dumping-a-load-of-toxic-waste-in/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [There are children who are working in textile businesses in Asia who would be prostitutes on the streets if they did not have those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/there-are-children-who-are-working-in-textile-businesses-in-asia-who/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [I have always thought that underpopulated countries in Africa are vastly underpolluted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/i-have-always-thought-that-underpopulated-countries-in-africa-are/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [It used to be said that when the U.S. sneezed, the world caught a cold. The opposite is equally true today. Our prosperity is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/it-used-to-be-said-that-when-the-u-s-sneezed-the-world-caught-a-cold/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [But ultimately what I was impressed by during my years in government was how much the intellectual climate and the prevailing intellectual notions constrained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/but-ultimately-what-i-was-impressed-by-during-my-years-in-government/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [All taxes discourage something. Why not discourage bad things like pollution rather than good things like working?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/all-taxes-discourage-something-why-not-discourage-bad-things-like/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [The United States basically accepted protection abroad as the price of post-war recovery. Now, that these countries have caught up to our level of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/the-united-states-basically-accepted-protection-abroad-as-the-price/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [One of those disturbing tendencies in academic life is that there is a desire on the part of many in the name of open-mindedness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/one-of-those-disturbing-tendencies-in-academic-life-is-that-there-is/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [As long as we keep our fundamentals strong...the dollar (and) U.S. borrowing costs will do just fine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/as-long-as-we-keep-our-fundamentals-strong-the-dollar-and-u-s/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [Investment in girls' education may well be the highest-return investment available in the developing world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/investment-in-girls-education-may-well-be-the-highest-return/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [Spread the truth-the laws of economics are like the laws of engineering. One set of laws works everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/spread-the-truth-the-laws-of-economics-are-like-the-laws-of/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [Now is the time for us to strike. We must strengthen our foothold in Asia, to ensure no nation overtakes us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/now-is-the-time-for-us-to-strike-we-must-strengthen-our-foothold-in/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) [Explore all 38 Lawrence Summers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) ## More Faster quotes > [The faster you go, the shorter you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-faster-you-go-the-shorter-you-are/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The average condition of the people improving or deteriorating, depends upon whether population is advancing faster than improvement, or improvement than population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/the-average-condition-of-the-people-improving-or-deteriorating/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Spirituality does not have to be serious. You are spirituality. Fun laughter heal you faster than anything. Introduce fun back into your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-moorjani/spirituality-does-not-have-to-be-serious-you-are-spirituality-fun/) [Anita Moorjani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-moorjani/) > [MOST TIMES WHEN WE ARE TOO FASTER THAN GOD,WE END UP PAYING OUR TRANSPORT BACK TO WAIT FOR HIM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffery-iyonawan/most-times-when-we-are-too-faster-than-god-we-end-up-paying-our/) [JEFFERY IYONAWAN](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffery-iyonawan/) > [As for the piano, the faster her fingers flew over it, the more he marveled. She struck the keys with aplomb and ran from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/as-for-the-piano-the-faster-her-fingers-flew-over-it-the-more-he/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [ Software gets slower faster than hardware gets faster. (Or, sometimes known by\] Grove \[the head of Intel\] giveth and Gates \[the head of Microsoft\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklaus-wirth/software-gets-slower-faster-than-hardware-gets-faster-or-sometimes/) [Niklaus Wirth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklaus-wirth/) > [“In fact, living with the mindset “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” may get you there quite a bit faster!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-de-sena/in-fact-living-with-the-mindset-i-ll-sleep-when-i-m-dead-may-get-you/) [Joe De Sena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-de-sena/) > [I do remember what I said. The promise. To protect her. If I'd done that ... even if I didn't make it, you wouldn't've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-do-remember-what-i-said-the-promise-to-protect-her-if-i-d-done-that/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [Tachyon OPC+ is a natural extension of our market-winning Tachyon platform, giving customers a clear path to minimizing the OPC error budget and producing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/tachyon-opc-is-a-natural-extension-of-our-market-winning-tachyon/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [I think technology advanced faster than anticipated. In that whirlwind, a lot of companies didn't survive. The reason we have done well is because,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/i-think-technology-advanced-faster-than-anticipated-in-that-whirlwind/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [The machines need to get faster. 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